Vehicle with two earthworking attachments

ABSTRACT

A vehicle having two earthworking attachments thereon including a vehicle frame on a pair of axles, one of which being steerable. The frame includes two frame units each connected to a working unit and an axle. The two frames are rotatably connected together.

hired States Patent 1191 1111 3,7 Schaeif [4 1 Oct. 16, 197% [54]VEHICLE WITH TWO EARTHWORKING 3,526,329 9/1970 Anderson 214/140ATTACHMENTS 3,272,280 9/1966 Schuetz 214/140 H 3,426,720 2/1969 Enos280/111 Inventor: Hans Schaeff, 7183 g g, 3,572,746 3/1971 Mueller280/112 R Langenburg, Germany [22] Filed: 1971 Primary Examiner-GeraldM. Forlenza 211 App] 137 431 Assistant ExaminerJohn MannixAttorney-Arthur Schwartz [30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 8,1970 Germany P 20 22 427.5 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 214/138 R, 280/111A vehicle having two earthworking attachments [51] hit. Cl IEOZf 3/00thereon including a vehicle frame on a pair of axles [58] meld of Search8 280,11 one of which being steerable. The frame includes two 28O/112214/140 138 frame units each connected to a working unit and an [5 e eces Cited 2:12.: rThe two frames are rotatably connected to- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,370,730 2/1968 Fielding 214/778 14 Claims, 6 DrawingFigures PATENTEnncI :5 ma

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HANSSCHAEFF VEHICLE WITH TWO EARTHWORKING ATTACHMENTS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to earthworking vehicles, and in particular to vehicles with two earth workingattachments. Such examples are a loading shovel attached to a lifterframe and a ditch scoop attached to the other end of the vehicle, thelatter being supported on the ground over two axles, at least one ofwhich being steerable.

2. Description of the Prior Art In order to improve the utilization ofcarrier vehicles for earth working attachments and for attainment ofquick adaptability to working conditions, it has been known to usespecial attachments, such as shovel attachments, earth drillingattachments, or crane attachments which can be mounted to the rear endof shovel loaders or tractors. Such vehicles have a rigid front axle anda jointed, cross-shaft rear axle in order to permit the shovel loadertowork exactly in the vehicle plane so as to obtain the most favorableresponse of the vehicle to the reaction forces created by the shovel.Thus, the loading shovel mounted forward of the front axle is wellsupported by the vehicle. However, this is not the case with a secondearth working attachment mounted behind the jointed, cross-shaft axle,especially in the case where the latter is also movable laterally orwhere the vehicle is operated with the arm of the attachment in itsextreme lateral position. In a situation where the ground is uneven,such an unbalanced loading condition of the vehicle behind its jointedaxle may create a force distribution so uneven as to cause the vehicleto tip over.

With so-called tractor loaders, the loading shovel is normally attachedto the front end of a closed tractor whose front axle normally is ajointed, cross-shaft axle with steerable wheels. While in this case anyearth working attachment mounted behind the rigid near axle wouldfunction better than in the previously mentioned example of the shovelloader, the jointed front axle creates very unfavorable supportingconditions for the front loading shovel making it impossible for theloading shovel to be accurately guided. This is in addition to thedanger of the vehicle tipping over when the loading force is one-sided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an objective of the present invention toprovide a vehicle for the use with two earth working attachments,particularly one having a shovel and a scoop. It is designed for highwork efficiency and for the use of both earth working attachments. Incontrast to known comparable vehicles, it is capable of travelling atadequately high speeds over a roadway. The device thereby provides themost efficient utilization of the work capacity of the attachments, evenwhen switching between different work locations. This objective isobtained by the invention in that it provides a shovel loader of theearlier mentioned type, the frame of which consists of two separateframe units, whereby each unit is connected to a rigid axle whilecarrying one earth working attachment. The two units are rotatablylinked to one another on a longitudinal axis located in the verticalcenter plane of the vehicle.

Preferably, the rotatability of the two frame units relative to oneanother is controlled by either two single action hydraulic cylinders orone double action hydraulic cylinder. For example, the single actinghydraulic plunger cylinders may be interconnected by means of ahydraulic conduit equipped with a three-way valve. The valve eithercreates a free connection between the two cylinder spaces, or athrottled flow. Alternatively, it can completely block the connection.This will depend upon whether the vehicle is positioned on uneven groundwhere an unrestricted freedom to roll is desirable, or whether thevehicle is travelling on a normal roadway where a limited rotationalmobility of the two frame units in the throttle position of thehydraulic controls is possible. During earth moving operations, on theother hand, the hydraulic system is blocked, thus providing an excellentsupport on all four wheels of the vehicle.

The invention further illustrates in a preferred embodiment therotational axis of the two frame units being concentric with the motordrive shaft. The rotational connection may be, for example, in'the formof an annular bearing surrounding the axis. For good weight distributionon the vehicle, the motor is mounted on the forward frame unit, and thetransmission and operators seat are part of the rear frame unit. In thismanner, the two frame units are rotatably linked together on acomparatively elevated rotational axis. In addition to the large groundclearance thereby obtained, the axis may be increased still further bythe use of gantry axles. This feature gives good lateral stability whenthe vehicle travels over roadway curves at high speeds since therotational connection is located approximately at the level of thecenter of gravity, or at least in its vicinity, so that the centrifugalforces created on the vehicle cause only a small kinking or pitchingmoment around the rotational connecting axis.

The rotational connection permitting'the freedom of roll between the twovehicle units consists of an annular bearing which may be arrangedconcentrically with the drive shaft of a centrally mounted motor.Alternatively, it consists of a cantilever trunnion which is supportedon a long shank, or it may consist of two smaller pivot trunnions whichare used to support the two frame units which extend into one another sothat the trunnions can be arranged at a greaterlongitudinal distancefrom one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further advantages of the inventionwill become apparent from the description below, when taken togetherwith the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of examples,several preferred embodiments of the invention represented in thevarious figures as follows:

FIG. 1 is a front view elevation of a vehicle embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1, the embodimentincluding an annular bearing as a connection between the frame units;

FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to that of the FIG. 2, showing inparticular the means used to control the relative rotatability betweenthe two frame units;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a vehicle frame according to another embodimentof the invention where the two frame units extend into one another;

FIG. 5 is a simplified front end view of the vehicle indicated in FIG.4; and

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 and shows schematically the hydraulic meansused for the control of two cylinders for the control of vehicle roll.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As can be seen in FIGS. 1 3,the vehicle of the invention comprises on its forward extremity a shovel10 which is linked to vertical supports 12 by means of a lifter frame11. The vertical supports 12 are connected on their upper ends by across bar 120, as visible in FIG. 3, and extend upwardly from a forwardunit 13 to which is mounted a rigid front axle 14 having wheels 15. Onthe frame unit 13 is also mounted the vehicle motor 16 which, as can beseen in FIG. 1, is covered by a forwardly slanting motor hood 17. Thelifter frame 11 of the shovel is vertically pivotable in the spacebetween the motor hood and the wheels.

To the forward frame unit 13 is connected a rear frame unit 19 by meansof an annular bearing 18 which is arranged concentrically around themotor drive shaft located longitudinally in the vertical center plane ofthe vehicle. To the rear frame unit 19 is connected a rigid rear axle 20having steerable wheels 21. In addition, the rear frame unit 19 carries,in the example shown, a transversely extending mounting frame 22 onwhich is guided for lateral motion the vertical pivot column 23 of aditch scoop 24. For a favorable weight distribution over the two rigidaxles l4 and 20, the rear frame unit 19 also carries the transmission25, together with the drivers cabin 240 which is arranged laterallyalongside the shovel arm which can be pivoted back over the vehicle (seeFIG. 2).

The off-center drivers cabin 22 (see FIG. 2) is located as near aspossible to the frame 12, 12a for the support of the loading shovel soas to give a good visual control over the two work attachments. Anover-sized motor or a larger (V-) motor which cannot be accommodatedinside the lifter frame can also be placed alongside the drivers cabinif necessary. For weight distribution, the hydraulic components, fueltank, and other components would then be located in the former location.Alongside the drivers cabin remains room for such work attachments asthe shovel, a mast erector unit, earth drill, etc. which are retractedduring travelling.

As a result of the separation of the two frame units as near as possibleto the loading shovel, the vehicle can have a short overall length, and,together with the off-center location of the drivers cabin, the vehiclebecomes compact and still offers storing space for the rear earthworking attachment when the latter is folded back.

As can be seen in the FIG. 3, controls may be provided between the twoframe units 13 and 19 in the form of hydraulic cylinders, preferablysingle acting plunger cylinders 28 which are linked to ears 26 and 27arranged at different levels on frame unit 13 and frame unit 19,respectively. The cylinders 28 are interconnected by means of ahydraulic system, whereby the relative roll between the frame units canbe either limited, completely blocked or merely throttled.

In a different embodiment shown in FIG. 4 the rear frame unit 19 carriesa horizontally pivotable support arm 30 to which may be attached, forexample, a shovel arm or a similar unit. The frame unit 19 includeslongitudinal frame members 32 interconnected by a transverse framemember 31. The frame thus constituted extends forwardly into the frameunit 13, the two frame units being pivotably connected to one another inthe vertical central plane A of the vehicle by means of two pivottrunnions 33 and 34 which are located on the same level. The transverseframe elements 13a and 36 of FIG. 4 are provided with a double offsetshape as illustrated in FIG. 5, the frame unit 19 and its tranverseelements 31 and 35, respectively, being attached thereto. In this case,the motor 16 (FIG. 5) is mounted on the frame unit 19. Sufficient spacefor roll mobility is provided inside the support structure for theshovel lifter frame to allow relative rotational motion even onextremely uneven ground to a roll position as shown by dotted lines inFIG. 5. The motor drive shaft is not coaxial with the pivot trunnion 34,although in principle this could be achieved by using a pivot sleeve.FIG. 5 further indicates schematically, by means of the lines 38 and 39,the position of the hydraulic control cylinders which are linked toframe units 19 and 13, respectively.

As can be seen from FIG. 6, the free ends of the plungers 40 of thehydraulic cylinders'extend downwardly until they contact the forwardframe unit 13, While the cylinders 41 are rigidly connected to the rearframe unit 19 which extends into the frame unit 13. The cylinders 41 areinterconnected by means of hydraulic lines 42 and 42a to a three-wayvalve 43 indicated schematically in the drawing. A parallel line 44 witha throttle 45 connects one leg of the hydraulic line 42a to thethree-way valve 43. The drawing shows three different valve positions,the lowest one showing the connection between the cylinders 41completely blocked. This position is used for work with an attachmentwhich is horizontally pivotable with its load. The valve position shownin the middle of FIG. 6 is used when the vehicle is travelling on uneventerrain and when the rigid axles of the two frame units must adaptquickly to the terrain changes. In the uppermost valve position shown inFIG. 6 the two cylinders 41 are interconnected only via parallel line 44and throttle 45, thereby giving the effect of an adjustable shockabsorbing device. This operational position is used for rapid travel ona roadway, the two frame units being thereby connected relativelyrigidly. The use of large profile tires makes it possible forthree-point ground contact for only short periods of time.

It should be understood that the embodiments of the invention as shownare not limited to a loading shovel and ditch scoop combination; ratherit is easily seen that other combinations of a vehicle with two workattachments are possible, for example, a combination of a crane andloader, a mast erector unit and a shovel, an earth drill and a crane, ora crane and a winch.

While there has been described and illustrated specific embodiments ofthe invention, it will be clear that variations in the details of theembodiments specifically illustrated and described may be made withoutdeparting from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined inthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vehicle having two working units comprising:

a. a frame supported on the ground by means of axles of which at leastone axle is steerable;

b. said frame including two frame units, each of said frame units beingconnected to a working unit and to an axle, at least one of said workingunits having a horizontally swinging boom;

c. said frame units including means for pivotally connecting themtogether about a longitudinal axis; d. means for hydraulicallycontrolling the ease of pivotal movement of the two frame units relativeto each other at any position thereof;

e. said controlling means including a pair of hydraulic cylinders, aconduit means connecting said cylinders, and a three-position valve insaid conduit means between said cylinders;

said three-position valve having a first position for effectinghydraulic communication between said cylinders thereby permitting freerelative pivotal movement between said frame units;

g. said valve having a second position for throttling the flow ofhydraulic fluid between said cylinders thereby permitting restrainedpivotal movement between said frame units, and;

h. said valve having a third-position for blocking the flow of hydraulicfluid between said cylinders in any relative position of said frameunits thereby locking said frame units together in any relativeposition.

2. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said axis is located in thevertical central plane of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said workingunits is an earth working type.

4. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein the connections between saidframe units and working units are rigid.

5. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said pair of hydrauliccylinders is included in one double-acting hydraulic cylinder.

6. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said cylinders areplunger-cylinders linking said two frame units to each other, thecylinders being attached to one frame unit while free ends of theplungers projecting from the cylinders abut against the other frameunit.

7. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for pivotallyconnecting said frame units together includes an annular bearingconcentrically surrounding a motor drive shaft about said axis.

8. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said frame unitsextends into the other of said frame units and is pivotally connectedthereto by means of a pair of pivot trunnions.

9. A vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting meansincludes a pivot trunnion extending from one frame unit and supported inthe other frame unit by means of two longitudinally spaced pivotbearings.

10. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 including a forward axle on oneframe unit, a motor and a shovel lifter frame arranged above saidforward axle, each mounted on different frame units.

11. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 including a pair of rigid axles.

12. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame units includecross frame elements, at least some of which have a double offset in thecenter thereof, said frame units connected to each other at said centerby means of pivot means.

13. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 including a drivers cab positionedoff-center of said vehicle for the accommodation of a working tool whichis pivoted upward and backward into a non-working, travelling position.

14. A vehicle as defined in claim l including a drivers cabin positionedbetween a supporting means for a loading shovel and a workingattachment.

1. A vehicle having two working units comprising: a. a frame supportedon the ground by means of axles of which at least one axle is steerable;b. said frame including two frame units, each of said frame units beingconnected to a working unit and to an axle, at least one of said workingunits having a horizontally swinging boom; c. said frame units includingmeans for pivotally connecting them together about a longitudinal axis;d. means for hydraulically controlling the ease of pivotal movement ofthe two frame units relative to each other at any position thereof; e.said controlling means including a pair of hydraulic cylinders, aconduit means connecting said cylinders, and a three-position valve insaid conduit means between said cylinders; f. said three-position valvehaving a first position for effecting hydraulic communication betweensaid cylinders thereby permitting free relative pivotal movement betweensaid frame units; g. said valve having a second position for throttlingthe flow of hydraulic fluid between said cylinders thereby permittingrestrained pivotal movement between said frame units, and; h. said valvehaving a third-position for blocking the flow of hydraulic fluid betweensaid cylinders in any relative position of said frame units therebylocking said frame units together in any relative position.
 2. A vehicleas defined in claim 1 wherein said axis is located in the verticalcentral plane of the vehicle.
 3. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 whereinat least one of said working units is an earth working type.
 4. Avehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein the connections between said frameunits and working units are rigid.
 5. A vehicle as defined in claim 1wherein said pair of hydraulic cylinders is included in onedouble-acting hydraulic cylinder.
 6. A vehicle as defined in claim 1wherein said cylinders are plunger-cylinders linking said two frameunits to each other, the cylinders being attached to One frame unitwhile free ends of the plungers projecting from the cylinders abutagainst the other frame unit.
 7. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid means for pivotally connecting said frame units together includesan annular bearing concentrically surrounding a motor drive shaft aboutsaid axis.
 8. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said frameunits extends into the other of said frame units and is pivotallyconnected thereto by means of a pair of pivot trunnions.
 9. A vehicle asdefined in claim 1, wherein said connecting means includes a pivottrunnion extending from one frame unit and supported in the other frameunit by means of two longitudinally spaced pivot bearings.
 10. A vehicleas defined in claim 1 including a forward axle on one frame unit, amotor and a shovel lifter frame arranged above said forward axle, eachmounted on different frame units.
 11. A vehicle as defined in claim 1including a pair of rigid axles.
 12. A vehicle as defined in claim 1wherein said frame units include cross frame elements, at least some ofwhich have a double offset in the center thereof, said frame unitsconnected to each other at said center by means of pivot means.
 13. Avehicle as defined in claim 1 including a driver''s cab positionedoff-center of said vehicle for the accommodation of a working tool whichis pivoted upward and backward into a non-working, travelling position.14. A vehicle as defined in claim 1 including a driver''s cabinpositioned between a supporting means for a loading shovel and a workingattachment.